Interviews with Artists Featured in the "Uncompromising Courage" Exhibit: Oil Painting - "Being One with Heaven"

[PureInsight.org]
[Editor's Note: On July 15, 16, 2004 the art exhibit entitled, "The Spirit of Perseverance," sponsored by Washington, D.C. Falun Dafa Association, formally took place at the United States House of Representative Raven Building, in the U.S. Capital City of Washington, D.C.. The art works in the exhibit are all by Falun Gong practitioners and some of them are still illegally detained in the Chinese jails. After the last five years of cruel persecution, these artist Falun Gong practitioners hoped to use their artistry to show the world their happiness due to their righteous heart through the practice of Falun Gong, their indestructible righteous thought even under cruel punishment and bloody persecution, their unyielding pursue of the universal principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance, and to show their firm believe that righteousness will eventually win over evilness. Each of these artists has his own specialty. They attempted to use the traditional painting technique to accomplish their purpose. We will introduce to you in next few days the artwork of each of the painters, the meaning of their work, the process of their creating, and their painting technique.]

Interview with Ms. Xiao Ping

Reporter: Zhu Qing-ming, a reporter for Zhengjian Net/PureInsight Org
Xiao: Ms. Xiao, Ping, artist

Reporter: You contributed five painting for this painting exhibit. One of these is "Being One with Heaven," which is a girl in meditation. There is a light column on top of her head that is penetrating the heavens, and there are little infants in the column of light. Would you please tell me about how the idea of this painting originated?

Xiao: When I meditate I have a feeling. I feel very comfortable when I relax, to the extent of not thinking about anything, devoid of any thoughts. You are at your best when people look at you at this time. Once a person opens his eyes in front of other people, he will hide behind a mask. But in meditation, you are your real self, the most beautiful, most comfortable, and most relaxed. I wanted to express the wonderfulness that Falun Dafa cultivation practice brings. Then I thought to do that by painting the act of meditation. There is a very interesting description about "San Hua Ju Ding" (Three Flowers Gathering on Top of the Head). I thought it would be very meaningful to paint it. It reflects a phenomenon that happens to a cultivator when he cultivates to a certain level, that is, three flowers rotating on his head. Because I lived by the seashore for many years, I have experienced the feeling of open space and of the blue sky over a great ocean, which is very attractive to people.

Reporter: Composition-wise your painting consists of a straight light column pointing upward. It is not easy to compose this. Could you talk about how you designed this light column in your composition?

Xiao: When I decided on the topic of "San Hua Ju Ding," it was for the expression of connecting heaven and man through the expression of this light column. I drew it this way even when I did the sketch. To express the depth and width I used scenery of the seascape to generate the impression of a distance from the character, making the character and the light column stand out, and telling the audience what I want to express.

Reporter: Do you want your audience to see the light column or the girl at the first glance?

Xiao: I feel they are one body.

Reporter: There are several infants in the picture. Did you want them to balance the picture or are there other reasons?

Xiao: I heard from fellow practitioners who have their celestial eye opened that there are infants in the other dimension that are very playful. Therefore, I painted them both to make the painting interesting and to make the composition look better. They form a "S" shape, break the feeling of straight line, and they add a lively feeling. Therefore, I decided to paint them in the picture. The really exist, but ordinary people cannot see them. People who can see them told me they look like that.

Reporter: The girl who is meditating looks like you. Is it a self-portrait?

Xiao: Basically I painted by my own picture. Still, I feel it is not completely like me. It looks likes me for in the easy parts but not the difficult parts. It is because it contains messages of myself. My friends can all tell which paintings are mine. They can recognize it because it contains my message.

Reporter: Did you use your picture as a model for this painting?

Xiao: Yes, But I changed the color of the top to white, to express purity. The hair is also a little shorter. The expression and the face do completely look like the picture.

Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2004/7/28/28416.html